NBA Draft 2012 Rumors: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Not Slipping Past Wizards, According To Report

You'll hear lots of stuff thrown against the wall over the next couple weeks leading up to the 2012 NBA Draft. Deciphering which rumors are meaningful and which are not is a very difficult task. Usually, there's an element of truth in every rumor, but it's never the whole truth.

I give you this disclaimer because it's necessary context for an especially interesting rumor involving the Wizards. A report out of Cleveland that the Wizards will not let Michael Kidd-Gilchrist slide beyond their pick. Via Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beach-Journal.

Kansas forward Thomas Robinson is expected to go second overall to the Bobcats, and while it’s difficult to decipher smokescreens from truth this time of year, the Wizards have made it clear they won’t let Michael Kidd-Gilchrist fall beyond them at No. 3.

It is true that Kidd-Gilchrist to the Wizards is gaining more steam recently. Each mock draft listed in today's links has Kidd-Gilchrist going third, for example. At the same time, keep in mind that this is coming from a Cleveland reporter. He's probably getting his information from Cavaliers sources, and given that the Cavaliers are picking immediately after the Wizards, they have a vested interest in creating this kind of smoke.

Therefore, here's my read on what this rumor actually means.

• The Wizards like Kidd-Gilchrist.
• He's very strongly in the mix at No. 3.
• He probably had a good workout on Friday (which is what I've heard too).
• The Cavaliers want the Wizards to pick Kidd-Gilchrist because they prefer Bradley Beal and Harrison Barnes. If the Wizards pick Kidd-Gilchrist, the Cavaliers have their choice of the top two guys.
• Therefore, I absolutely would not say the Wizards have made up their mind.